


Trauma & Celebration

by ChromaticTritone



Series: Overcoming Van’s Trauma [1]
Category: Code:Realize ～創世の姫君～ | Code: Realize - Guardian of Rebirth (Visual Novel)
Genre: Angst, Angst and Drama, Angst and Feels, Angst with a Happy Ending, Birthday, Birthday Cake, Birthday Party, Drama, Drama & Romance, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-09
Updated: 2021-02-09
Packaged: 2021-03-15 16:08:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,106
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29316876
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChromaticTritone/pseuds/ChromaticTritone
Summary: Van Helsing hasn’t celebrated his birthday in a long time. It’s up to Cardia to change that.
Relationships: Cardia Beckford/Abraham Van Helsing
Series: Overcoming Van’s Trauma [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2174046
Kudos: 6





	Trauma & Celebration

**Author's Note:**

> A fic I wrote for Van’s birthday (which is on February 9). Happy birthday Van! <3

He had overcame Hidden Strength, and the dangers Jimmy A. Aleister posed to his life and well-being, but nothing could have prepared Van Helsing for what lay before him.

He blinks in surprise. Then, he looks at Cardia.

“Can you repeat that?”

She smiles. “Of course, Van. I said, happy birthday!”

He blinks again. Then, he shakes his head. “There’s no way you could have known this, but…I don’t really…celebrate…my birthday.”

Cardia tilts her head to one side. “Why not?”

 _Because it’s too painful; that’s why._ But aloud, he says, “I just don’t.”

She gives him a smile. “Well, there’s no time like the present to change that. C’mon!”

She takes his hand, and pulls him into the dining room. Van Helsing has no choice but to follow her.

As soon as they enter the dining room, several figures pop out from the corner of his vision. “Surprise!” they say.

Van Helsing recognizes them as his friends—Victor, Impey, Saint Germain, & Lupin. He smiles. “What are you all doing here? Lupin, didn’t you depart for France?”

Lupin gives him a grin. “I did, but I had to come back for a friend’s birthday—there’s no way a gentleman like myself would miss it.”

Van Helsing nods. Then, he turns to Victor. “Is it alright for you to take a day off from the clinic?”

Victor smiles. “I’ve been able to hire other doctors to help me over there. One of them is taking care of my patients right now.”

Van then turns to Saint Germain. “And weren’t you travelling in Europe?”

Saint Germain smiles. “Cardia insisted I return, and I couldn’t refuse the request of such a lovely lady.”

Van smiles, looking at Impey. “And I suppose Impey just had nothing better to do…”

“Hey!” Impey replies. “I went through all the trouble to cook for you, and that’s the thanks I get?”

Van’s eyes widen. “Cook…?”

Cardia turns to him with a smile. “Yes, I had Impey make some delicious food for your birthday. I hope you like it!”

With that, she takes his hand, and escorts him to the dining room table, with everyone else following close behind.

Everyone takes a seat at the table, save for Impey, who goes to the kitchen, returning momentarily with a platter of food.

“I present to you, lamb chops and potatoes!” Impey says, taking a plate and placing it in front of Van. He then puts dishes at everyone else’s places, ending by putting one last dish in front of his seat and sitting down.

Van looks down at the food. He hasn’t had a home cooked meal to celebrate his birthday since his mother—

_And he enters the room to find his mother dead, his family, completely gone—_

He shakes his head. Then, he turns to Impey. “Thank you, Impey. I’ll give it a taste.”

He lowers his fork, then brings it to his mouth.

His eyes widen. “It’s delicious, Impey.”

Impey’s jaw drops to the floor. “Why, I never thought the day would come when you’d compliment my cooking! What an unexpected development!”

With that, everyone else digs into their food and eats happily, laughing and talking together.

Van’s mind is on the dish in front of him. Every time he takes a bite, he remembers the last time he had something special to eat on his birthday. It was years ago—

_—when his family was still alive whereas now, everything is different—_

The painful memories threaten to come back with every bite, and it’s all Van can do to pull through.

Finally, he finishes the dish in front of him, and sighs with relief. He looks around to find that the others have also finished their food. Impey, seeing everyone is done, stands up and takes everyone’s plates. Then, he grins.

“I have one more surprise for you, Van! Just give me one second!” he says, taking the plates and going to the kitchen. Then, he comes back holding—

“—a cake?” Van says, his voice almost breaking.

Impey grins. “Yep! My special recipe! I know you’ll love it!”

With that, Impey places the cake in front of Van, and cuts him a slice.

Van looks down at the cake.

It reminds him of a birthday years ago—

_—decorating his cake together one moment, and the next moment, his mother is dead, and there’s nothing he can do about it—_

Van Helsing closes his eyes, as the pain threatens to overwhelm him.

Cardia senses something is wrong with her lover, and she stands up, running up to him. “Van? What’s wrong?”

He swallows, not wanting to admit his weakness. But after a moment, he looks away, and speaks.

“I don’t celebrate my birthday because…it reminds me of when my parents were still alive. 

“Every time my birthday comes around, I’m reminded of times when I celebrated with them, when they were still here. And it only serves to remind me that now, they’re gone.”

He closes his eyes. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.”

After a moment, he feels a hand on his back, gently stroking him. He opens his eyes again to see Cardia holding him lovingly.

She looks him in the eyes. “It’s alright, my love. You’ve done nothing wrong.”

With that, she leans forward, and hugs him.

Within their embrace, she whispers in his ear, “We don’t have to celebrate today if you don’t want to.”

Then, she releases him, and Van sees that all of his friends are looking at him with concern. Victor laughs nervously. “It’s times like these where I wish doctors like me could see the pain of the heart as well.”

“I’m no doctor, but I concur,” Lupin says. “I’m sorry for not understanding you, Van.”

“You’ve done nothing wrong,” Van says with a small smile. “You just tried to make this day special for me. There’s no way you could have known.”

Saint Germain nods. “What can we, as your friends, do for you right now, Van?”

Van thinks for a moment. Then, he says. “Perhaps…it would be best to leave the house, and makes some new birthday memories in London. All of my memories of my birthday are at home, with my family. Perhaps making some new memories, in a new place, will help.”

Cardia smiles. “I love that idea. Let’s do it! But if it’s too painful for you, let me know, alright?”

Van smiles. “I will, Cardia.”

“Alright!” Impey says. “Let’s go to London, and make some new memories for Van!

And with that, the Lupin gang leaves the mansion, and goes to London to make new memories.


End file.
